Peerless Scheider makes it three from three.

Saturday, 3rd May 2008

Championship leader leaves rivals in the shade on hot Italian day in Mugello.

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“For me, it is mixed feelings,” confessed Kristensen. “On the one hand, I am disappointed – pole position would have been nice. On the other hand, I am happy with third place on the grid. We knew beforehand that it would be difficult here, but you only really know where you are in qualifying.”

The result also marked the eighth consecutive top spot for Audi in qualifying – stretching all the way back, somewhat appropriately, to Mugello last year – and with six A4s inside the top ten, it was undeniably another good day for the Ingolstadt marque. Markus Winkelhock did an impressive job to grab eighth spot – the only driver in 2007-spec machinery to get through to the final knock-out session – but there was less happy news for second-placed man in the championship Martin Tomczyk, who will be starting all the way down in twelfth place.

“Qualifying was very hard,” reflected Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. “Mercedes-Benz has done a great job and come closer. We knew it would be difficult here with 20 kilograms of handicap weight, so I am all-the-more happy with pole position. Surely, tomorrow's race will be very difficult.

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“We had very good long runs and now only have to adapt the set-up to the changed temperatures. Timo Scheider got it all together 100 per cent in all the sectors of his final lap. Apparently, together with his engineer, he has found exactly that little difference in tyre pressure that counts. The entire team has done a tremendous job – thanks very much indeed.”

That Mercedes has closed the gap – as Dr Ullrich remarked – is clear to see, with the three-pointed star gaining its best grid position of the season to-date with Green alongside Scheider on the front row, and the other three 2008 AMG machines all inside the top seven too. Ever-improving Formula 1 refugee Ralf Schumacher, meanwhile, ended up 13th, but former champion Gary Paffett was left frustrated down in a lowly 15th place.